Date:         Thu, 17 Feb 2000 08:23:51 -0800
Reply-To:     "Berryhill, Tim" <TWB2@PGE.COM>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         "Berryhill, Tim" <TWB2@PGE.COM>
Subject:      Re: Copying SAS Datasets safely
Comments: To: Diana Noble <diana.noble@PRUDENTIAL.COM>,
          sas-l <sas-l@uga.cc.uga.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain

At least in V6, it is perfectly safe to copy or move SAS libraries with OS
utilities.  Earlier versions of the library structure used absolute track
addresses in the library structure, so only SAS could manipulate the
libraries, but this is no longer the case.

That said, you have asked previously about allocating datasets across
multiple packs.  Some of the ways to do that (the methods which do not
require SMS) would allow the OS to back up different segments of the library
(different packs) at different times.  Also, if you use IDCAMS to dump a
disk-format dataset to tape, it is still in disk format.  That means there
is no way to use it without moving it back to disk.  You can use tape-format
on disk (sequentially, without any of the disk-format advantages), but you
cannot use disk-format on tape.

Tim Berryhill - Contract Programmer and General Wizard
TWB2@PGE.COM or http://www.aartwolf.com/twb.html
Frequently at Pacific Gas & Electric Co., San Francisco
The correlation coefficient between their views and
my postings is slightly less than 0
> ----------
> From:         Diana Noble[SMTP:diana.noble@PRUDENTIAL.COM]
> Reply To:     Diana Noble
> Sent:         Thursday, February 17, 2000 8:10 AM
> To:   SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject:      MVS: Copying SAS Datasets safely
>
> I have a bunch of SAS datasets that were backed up with the IDCAMS utility
> that
> are corrupt.
>
> I recall vividly being TOLD in SAS classes and probably here in the SAS-L
> that
> we must use SAS Procs to safely backup SAS datasets.
>
> What I have been searching for (in vain I might add) all morning is the
> references to this in the SAS Language, SAS Procedures, MVS Companion,
> ......
> manuals (four bookshelves of books).
>
> I should think something like this would be re-interated at least several
> times
> in bold red 18 pt or larger type, but ...   well,
> hey....
>
> Can anyone provide me the reference?  I would like to use this as
> documentation
> for some backup and recovery procedures.  Thanks
>
> Diana Noble
> Prudential
>